Delegations formed on behalf of the DEM Party have continued their meetings both inside the country and abroad after the “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society” shared by Abdullah Öcalan on February 27. Most recently, the delegation held several meetings in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (Başûrê Kurdistan) before moving on to Western Kurdistan (Rojavayê Kurdistan). On April 26, the delegation participated in the Kurdish National Unity and Common Stance Conference held in Qamishlo.

Serhat Eren, MP for the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) from Diyarbakır (Amed), who attended the conference in Rojava, spoke to ANF about the need for the Rojava model to be expanded throughout Syria. He said: “It is crucial for the Kurds to clearly express what kind of Syria and what kind of Rojava they envision. This stance will be recognized and supported on a global scale. The Syrian administration may initially react negatively, but I can say that there is no other viable solution. What is expected from the Syrian administration is not to ignore these legitimate demands that are accepted and seen as rightful by the entire world.”

Can you share your first impressions of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria?

We have been in Rojava for two days. We had the opportunity to visit some of the institutions here. This model is significant because it is one where all peoples living alongside the Kurds preserve their languages, cultures, histories, and identities, actively participate in all administrative mechanisms, and directly take part in decision-making processes. The fact that this model currently stands as the only alternative both within Syria and across the Middle East is a striking testament to the correctness and strength of the paradigm presented by Mr. Öcalan. This model is a great source of hope for all the peoples of the Middle East. Models like this have no chance of survival unless they are rooted in the people. Although it is a system without legal recognition, it has been implemented for 15 years. If it were not based directly on the people, it could not have survived under these conditions of war. The fundamental reason this model continues to exist today is precisely because it is grounded in the people.

What are your thoughts on the goals and outcomes of the conference in Rojava?

Until now, in all four parts where Kurds live, their histories have been written by the states they reside in, but never with their true identities, languages, cultures, traditions, and ways of life. With the conference held today, the Kurds have begun to write their own history. In this sense, it is extremely significant and valuable. They have started to determine their own future by coming together, speaking, and discussing. This marks a critical and historic turning point in the history of the Kurdish people.

One of the factors that has facilitated massacres against the Kurds has been their inability to unite. This conference was historic because it marked the end of that unfortunate reality in Kurdish history. it demonstrated that the Kurds can act together and adopt a common stance. It also paved the way for a national congress that will bring together Kurds from all four parts of Kurdistan.

The only true strength is our own power and unity

This aspect is also extremely important: Within the system that is being shaped in the Middle East, the Kurds will undoubtedly strive to protect their achievements and gain new ones, to defend their rights and national interests. However, what they must truly believe in and trust is their own strength and unity. The only true force that will make us strong in the Middle East, grant us status, and enable us to achieve our rights is our own power and the building of unity among Kurds. As long as Kurdish unity is established, no force will be able to destroy the Kurds' achievements and status. This conference is the first and significant step toward building the future of the Kurds in the Middle East. It is important and valuable for Kurds to come together and express how they want to shape their future in Syria, the Middle East, and the world. It is necessary to deepen this conference and turn it into a national unity across all four parts of Kurdistan.

All Kurdish demands are legitimate

Today, some very important points also became clear. It is highly valuable that the Kurds have made it clear they do not accept a centralized administration in Syria and that they have turned the preservation of their existing model into a common stance. The Kurds absolutely do not want to experience again the oppression they have endured over the past sixty years. At the conference, they expressed their desire for a democratic and decentralized Syria; for equal access to public resources; for equal participation in public life; for Kurdish to be recognized as an official language; for gender equality to be an indispensable condition; for the identities, languages, and cultures of all other peoples living in Syria to be protected; and for all these rights to be guaranteed under a new founding constitution. I can say that these demands will be accepted as long as Kurdish unity is maintained and that they are legitimate on a global scale. The essential condition is the establishment of Kurdish unity.

The conference in Rojava was held after Mr. Öcalan’s “Call for Peace and a Democratic Society” and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) declaration of a ceasefire. How did the spirit of the call reflect in the agenda of the conference?

Mr. Öcalan, the Kurdish People's Leader, made a historic call on February 27. He stated that the issue must be addressed through political and legal channels. He spoke of a process where all issues related to political, cultural, and identity rights, from freedom of expression to freedom of the press, for all peoples living in this country would be discussed and debated on a political basis. Regarding the legal framework, he emphasized that all these rights must be secured by laws and the constitution. He stated that these rights must be guaranteed by law. When we examine the content of the conference, it is clear that it was a reflection of Mr. Öcalan’s call for a democratic society. This conference is a direct result of the process initiated by Mr. Öcalan on February 27. It is the outcome of all the meetings and efforts carried out in the wake of his call. Therefore, the path laid out by Mr. Öcalan quickly found concrete expression in Rojava. This conference was the embodiment of his call.

How could the conference impact the other parts of Kurdistan?

I believe that this conference will create a butterfly effect in the other parts of Kurdistan and that this momentum will soon reach all regions. I think that all Kurds living in the four parts, as well as the peoples living alongside them, will be influenced and inspired by this, leading to the building of a democratic society. I believe and hope that the great congress, by which I mean a congress where all Kurds are included, where a common stance is put forward, and where Kurds assert their decisions and positions in the shaping of the Middle East, will materialize.

I believe the outcomes of this conference will also influence the other parts. If you apply all the demands expressed here directly to Turkey, you will see that they are also the demands of the Kurds in Turkey. I can say that there is a large degree of overlap. These are also the demands of the Kurds in Iran. In Iraq, although a degree of status has been achieved, fundamentally these demands belong to the Kurds there as well. Any loss or gain that occurs in one part inevitably affects the others.

Given the region’s ethnic and religious diversity, how might this model impact the broader region and the specific Rojava-Damascus negotiations?

At this stage, I believe it will have a positive impact both in Syria and across the Middle East. For the past hundred years, chaos and crises have dominated these lands because the basic rights of peoples have not been recognized and oppressive, authoritarian, and fascist regimes have prevailed. It has become clear that this crisis-management model offers nothing to the peoples and will continue to offer nothing in the future. This has been clearly demonstrated in the case of Syria. Therefore, what must be done is clear: Syria, with its rich mosaic of ethnicities, cultures, and religions, must be governed in a way that reflects its sociological reality. There is no point in insisting on a system that has been tried before and has only resulted in endless chaos, crises, bloodshed, and death.

The Rojava model could be expanded across Syria

The Rojava model can and should be expanded across all of Syria. As long as this is delayed, Syria will continue to suffer from greater chaos and crises. What needs to be done urgently is to establish legal and constitutional frameworks that will allow the Kurdish people, and the peoples who have lived alongside them, to coexist peacefully. It must be remembered that throughout the 13–14 years of struggle and resistance, it was not only the Kurds who fought. While the Kurds were at the center, Arabs, Alawites, Druze, Christians, Assyrians, and Armenians were also part of this tradition of resistance. If a legal foundation for coexistence is not built, a brighter future will unfortunately not await Syria. Therefore, it is crucial for the Kurds to clearly express what kind of Syria and what kind of Rojava they envision. This vision, in my opinion, will be recognized and supported on a global scale. The Syrian administration may react negatively in the short term, but there is no other viable solution. Apart from the model proposed by the Kurds, there is currently no alternative. The responsibility of the Syrian administration is not to ignore these legitimate demands, which are recognized and deemed legitimate by the international community.

Do you have a final message for political circles and the people?

There is no need to give a message to our people; they are evaluating this process far better than we are. I once again congratulate the Kurds living in Rojava and the entire region of Rojava. Tremendous sacrifices have been made. The Kurds did not fight only for their own people in Rojava; they also fought for all of humanity against a dark mentality that sought to turn the Middle East and Syria into a living hell. They resisted this system on behalf of all peoples of the world, and today they have achieved victory. I extend my thanks to Mr. Öcalan first and foremost, and to everyone who contributed to and made this conference possible. Bearing witness to such historical moment is a blessing for all our people. Our hope for the future is strong.